I`m getting tired of dealing with my sumps and a wet basement. Recently we`ve had some rain in NJ after a very long dry spell. I lost my electricity so my sump never started and another wet basement. Since we were out of town at the time the water saturated the rug and then wicked up everything it could. We all know this story.

After a session of brainstorming with my friends we thought that we could mortar up the window wells that act as the collection points and then the water would never enter the house in the first place. Now my father in law is cautioning me about this because he says that those window wells are designed to redirect and collect the additional water that isn`t able to runoff or percolate through the soil. He says that when I block these wells up something called hydrostatic pressure will build and force the water to find an alternate path and if this pressure got great enough maybe crack the foundation and force it`s way into the basement or tunnel underneath and cause damage.

So, should I be concerned. My FIL is a construction inspector so I know he knows some things but is it really that big of an issue??

No the FIL has the right idea. The window well should have drain connected to the perimiter drain at the footing. Have the drains scoped by a plumber. If you have older house you may have tile drainge system, tiles brake and get plugged with tree roots. If the drain is working good the water will not build up in window well. If you close it up the water will come from somewhere else . buy a shovel. and gum boots.

we had a waterproofing company in nj - great times, too,,, mucho dinero

sumps are only low points for collecting water,,, pumps are usually electrically powered - power out, no pumping as you discovered,,, fortunately there are water & batter powered backup pumps,,, zoeller makes the units we use in our atlanta waterproofing biz.

in your case, a father-in-law in the hand's worth bunches of your ' friends ',,, only your respect for your home AND the size of your investment can help you decide if its ' really that big of an issue ',,, it is to me w/OUR home !